Mel Gibson's 'The Beaver' Released Date Pushed Back

The drama, directed by Jodie Foster, was to open in limited run March 23.

Summit Entertainment is pushing back the release of Jodie Foster’s Mel Gibson starrer The Beaver from March 28 to May 6. Foster directed and co-stars in the drama.

The Beaver will open in a limited run, and then expand on May 20. Cast also includes Anton Yelchin and Jennifer Lawrence.

Film premieres at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 16. Since Foster is shooting Roman Polanski's God of Carnage in Paris until mid-March, the later release date for Beaver gives her and the cast more time to promote it.

A May release also gives Summit more time to build word-of-mouth following the film’s festival premiere.

May is a high-profile month at the box office, since it’s the start of summer. In recent years, specialty films opening in summer serve as counter-programming to studio tentpoles.

The Beaver was to have opened last year, but Summit delayed its debut because of controversial remarks made by Gibson that were secretly recorded by his ex-girlfriend.